The 3W Podcast

The 3W Podcast: Amanda Whittaker - Part 1

• Kasie Yokley

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Holiday magic isn’t accidental; it’s built through smart strategy, bold collaboration and a whole lot of heart. We’re joined by Hasbro’s Amanda Whittaker, who pulls back the curtain on how toys move from sketch to shelf — while still making space for joy, nostalgia and community impact. From the Play-Doh x Barbie collab stealing the season to a full-on Furby revival, we get into what sparks trends, how licensing teams actually work together and why the best ideas sometimes start with a quick AI mockup.

We also talk about the real work behind the fun: coordinating with Walmart Media Connect and creators, aligning search-to-delivery experiences, and keeping a small hybrid team humming during the busiest stretch of the year. Amanda shares why the toy industry is surprisingly collaborative — think Hasbro and Mattel in the same sandbox — and how that mindset leads to better in-store moments and happier families. The result is a smoother path from discovery to doorstep, and a better chance that what’s under the tree becomes a tradition long after the wrapping is gone.

We dig into the power of play for therapy and inclusion too: Play-Doh as a tool for communication, adapted toys for dexterity, and the simple magic of screen-free minutes around Connect 4, Guess Who and Operation.

If you love toys, brand strategy or just need a reminder that play still matters, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who runs game night, and leave a review to tell us your most nostalgic toy memory.

SPEAKER_00:

Hey everybody. Welcome to the 3W podcast. I'm so glad y'all are here today. I have a really good friend with me, Amanda Whitaker. Hi, Casey. Hi, friend. How are you? How are you? It's so weird doing this intro since we've been here gabbing for 10 minutes, but it's fine. Anyways, Amanda is with Hasbro because who doesn't love toys? Right? I know. And tis the season. Tis the season. And you're dressed for the season. In my Walmart Ferrell sweater. Thank you very much. I went with the theme. I love that. I was like, oh, I wasn't thinking theme. I love a theme. I love a theme. And I should have put hats on us because that's so simple. Next time. It's next time. Next time. We'll do party hats next time. I can't wait. Okay. Tell us what you do at Hasbro.

SPEAKER_01:

Girl, what don't I do? Um so technically. Are you the Janibou though? But I am. Um yes, I did take the trash out yesterday for solid. So that counts. And I've got to do that. That's how you made it. I've really come far in my career. So technically on paper, I'm the director of customer strategic marketing. That basically means anything that our brands are doing, saying, activating at Walmart falls under my responsibility with me and my team out doing great content marketing and displays and supporting all of these great brands and items. It's working in toys super fun. It is super fun. It's super crazy right now. Well, yeah. Of course, because you're helping Santa. Any job, we're helping Santa. Um being Santa's helper is hard. It's fast paced. There's a lot of pressure to get it perfect. We'll discuss that in a second. But it is fun. It's a different industry. I spent most of my career in like food and beverages, beauty and yes. Yes. And so Which is where I know you. We've known each other a long time. A long time. And so now to be in an industry that is like super long timelines from a production lead, but really fast on like we're watching daily sales and we're watching movement in real time. And so I think it's been fun for my brain to switch from current year to let's also talk. Like I was in a meeting yesterday talking 27 innovation. So your brain is constantly staying nimble.

SPEAKER_00:

And innovation come from Walmart shoppers or just toy shoppers in general?

SPEAKER_01:

Both. Okay. Both. So it can come from both ways. I mean, our wonderful design teams and like toy developers are looking for what are our players wanting next. What are we learning from? What else is in the market? We also do research with Walmart shoppers to figure out like what are they expecting from brands like Play-Doh and where would we go next and testing that out. So it can come from anywhere. And sometimes it just comes from ChatGPT. I love Chat. Right? He's our bestie. I love Chat. Chat was down yesterday.

SPEAKER_00:

He had a bad day. Bad day. Bad day.

SPEAKER_01:

But I loved him nonetheless. It is fun when we can mock up images or like be able to visualize an idea that I can't necessarily always articulate. Send that to the designers, and there may or may not be items coming next year that I promise you started from Chat GPT in a minute.

SPEAKER_00:

I love that. That's so much more advanced than my stick figures that I send to my designer. Girl. I'm like, just sink with stick. Stick figure a person. Yes. Just I will lay that out for you. And they're like, I thought I was the designer. And I'm like, well, you are. I need you to take my stick figures and do something amazing with them because that's the only way I like see what you come. It's awesome. It's awesome on a regular basis. Have you seen anything? So you talked about the timeline. Have you seen in like what 18 months? Have you seen crazy changes from your perspective of like, oh, I thought that going into the toy business? I thought this would be amazing. And it turns out it was actually this. Were you have you been shocked? Um, I'm shocked at where innovation comes from.

SPEAKER_01:

Um and like the speed and not speed if that's a way to put it, like how long it takes certain things that in my previous world were like 30-day turnarounds, and then things that like we can make decisions on a dime that I'm used to having to run up like 10 chains. So I think it's just more the like collaboration that I'm surprised and inspired by that in the toy industry, I'll tell you one thing that's different, and I know a lot of our viewers are CPG industry leaders. Um, this is the most collaborative industry I've ever worked in. So like we will sit in rooms and like I work for Hasbro, but like I'm also sitting there talking to like our Mattel team, and like we have a collab right now with Play-Doh and Barbie, right? So you have an iconic Mattel property licensed with our Play-Doh brand. And so I think the licensing side of it keeps us really all in the same sandbox. I love that. I mean, at the end of the day, I still want Hasbro to disproportionately win, make no mistake. Obviously. Right. But what has been shocking to me is how open and honest, like within legal and ethical guidelines, yes, that we really are. That we come to local events together, we show up as a toy team. Um, the leadership at Walmart is great about pulling us on a room and like how are we gonna really do what is right for the customer, put it in the right place, use the right licensing and our brands um to create the best experience. So Which this is what you're talking to.

SPEAKER_00:

If y'all can't see this, it was on the floor. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_01:

If you haven't already seen this collaboration, it's fantastic, and it's so fun to take someone like Barbie, who is empowering and wonderful, who doesn't love Barbie, um, and then be able to take a brand and a like creative property like play-doh. Like Play-Doh. Think like all designer plates, but like molding a dress and like adding the patterns and the personalization to it. Um, she's a top toy at Walmart this year. It's been super fun to launch wink wink. There'll be more coming out in store in the next couple weeks, obviously. Um, but we're just excited about the collaboration on that one. And it is fun to be like, well, is it play-doh? Is it Barbie? It's both. So you actually get the doll and the dough and the experience, and you can there's expansion packs and you can add in different designs and you can really make it your own. And Barbie Fast. Have you seen this one come to fruition? Was this a sketches when I joined?

SPEAKER_00:

So this is one of your first things to kind of see sketch to reality. Sketch to store. So I'm excited to see the palette in store.

SPEAKER_01:

That's awesome. Yeah. So are they out in store? They are out. So there's a couple items. Um, there's dough packs and the actual, like there's a whole designer studio. Um, and then this is kind of the most basic entry item, but we're super excited about that one.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh my gosh. Well, I hope she's under lots of trees to share for you. Well, okay, let's talk about what Hasbro does in the community.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh my gosh. Um, this has actually been one of my own personal labors of love here in Northwest Arkansas. So, what's also been fun is seeing the team grow. Because you love community development. I do love community development. I love the way, I mean, I'm a marketer at heart. So, like, not only do I have a responsibility to market our brands well, I feel like there's a responsibility that we have here in Northwest Arkansas to actually do good in the area. And so, God love my leader for saying, like, if this is something you're passionate about, let's get after it. Let's go. It was something that obviously, like, it's how we connected years ago is how we show up in the market, how we use our brands for good was an effort we made this year. So when I came on in 2024, met with a bunch of organizations, really dove deep into understanding Hasbro's mission. You know, it's easy about inspiring joy. I'm like, hold on, what is it? Inspiring moments of everyday joy. Yes. I'm like, I have it written down on this giant page of notes. And so that makes it better. The gift of play at the holidays, you can have any play on the words, but at the end of the day, we are a joy company and we want all of our products to incite this little moment of joy. And so, like, how fun is that? That then I had this responsibility to go like, who are we gonna partner with? And there's a ton of great organizations in the area that we've all worked with and been a part of and attended. Yes. Um, and so we did. We kind of started a little small in 25 and said, all right, we're gonna pick five or six, really lean in things that our Walmart merchants are passionate about, things that our employees are passionate about, um, and things that just made logical sense where we could donate toys. Um, things like the Rogers Dream Center, where they do a huge holiday event and make sure that all families have toys under their tree. Um, we use that as an opportunity to donate products. Other areas, it's more financial backing. Um, others, it's attending, you know, brunches. Where we're actually getting something out of it as well and seeing the good they're doing.

SPEAKER_00:

I do love those brunches. I saw you at one a few months ago.

SPEAKER_01:

So the Big Brothers, Big Sisters Brunch, um, great organization that we're supporting. Also, Boys and Girls Club of Northwest Arkansas. So those are both like their events that are out in the area, fundraising, giving product um gift baskets. I love making a good donation gift basket. Schools are notorious for stopping by when you know that you're a toy company. You're gonna get hit up all the time. Absolutely. I'm more than happy to put a good solid auction basket to take care of. The guest product in hand is a great experience, right? And there's no other way to really believe and become loyal to these products than to play with them, to play the games, um, to play with the action figures and to be a part of that. So anything we can do there, um, of course, supporting you and your efforts with 3W um has been super fun. And then in two weeks, we had our champions for kids holiday. I was just gonna say, are we still doing CFK? We still are doing CFK. Um, so Adelaide and all of her champions are putting on a heck of events. Back on the scene, bigger than ever. Bigger than ever. Last year was huge. This year's gonna be even bigger. We've moved from Springdale Convention Center to Rogers Convention Center. Okay. Thousands of families are able to come get toys, a huge basket of toys for their family, um, have a great dinner, sponsored by Tyson, all of us back to the collaboration between Hasbro, Zuru, um, Moose Toys. We've got a number, razor scooters. There's tons of partners that we're working together to basically make it look like a Polar Express Santa's workshop. This button. Come on, play games. Exactly. Come play a game, a life-size game of Connect 4. You might be able to go play the game. A life size like huge would be as big as this room to play Kinect 4, guess who, one of your favorites? I do love guess who. And it's just it's meant to be a fun family night on Saturday night, December 13th, that we're a part of. So that'll round out our year. Okay. Um, and then looking to 26 as to how else we can contribute in the area.

SPEAKER_00:

I mean, it's it's a lot. It's a lot, you know. You used to run all, well, and you still do all the non topic. I was like, you used to have my thing. I used to. This is big part of my thing.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes. Um, and then, you know, any any other way that we can monetarily or with product contribute, then we look at those opportunities as we can. So it's been a crazy year for everybody. And so my thought is like, okay, great. If a few games and some play-doh and action figures can brighten someone's day, I'm telling you.

SPEAKER_00:

And what never goes out of style? Toys. Toys. Toys and games. Yeah. Toys and games. Always. Always. So what does a day look like? What's an average day look like? I know what they've looked like recently. Yes, talking about the table.

SPEAKER_01:

Um, you know, we do. I our team is very um hybrid in nature. So while there is, and that was part of the growth of Northwest Arkansas's team. So when my team leader came on, there were three in this office. There are now ten. Which is really small. Which is tiny. Yes. And we're still small in comparison. Like 10 or 11 is still small. Yes. But we've got to be able to do that. Especially for space. Think about what we're doing. There are only 10 or 11 of us in Northwest Arkansas at any given time representing Hasbro. What is also awesome, though, is we do have those out in remote roles, our headquarters in Potucket Church Island.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, Rhode Island.

SPEAKER_01:

Rhode Island close by.

SPEAKER_00:

There's a um, but correct me if I'm wrong. There's like a giant life size, and there may be lots of these things up there, but I saw another partner take a photo outside Gerald's door of a Mr. Potato Head. Yes, he's in Rhode Island. Okay. He's like a life.

SPEAKER_01:

He's a nice mystery. We love our Tater. Okay. Yes. Um, so that is how you're welcomed at Hasbro. How fantastic is that? So it's just so great that like the Hasbro like community there is so strong. And so half of our team is there, half is here in Northwest Arkansas. That's just supporting the Walmart team. Obviously, Hasbro being a large global corporation. Um, and so I would say that that translates into what my day is. So there's a lot of times we're doing things in the office. Um, here we're in the office three days a week or a hybrid schedule. Um, Monday, Friday, I'm at home. Tuesday through Thursday, you can find me at Boat Terror Office Complex soon closer to Rogers. Yes. So we're excited about that office move and really modernizing the area. I've been helping with that as well because that's maybe you'll come into our job. I know. We're gonna try to bring some of those elements into our new office. We're super excited.

SPEAKER_00:

Is that what it's like to go over to the Rhode Island office?

SPEAKER_01:

It is kind of funny to see like your like childhood on display. Okay. Is it like you're walking through a Toy Story or something? A little bit. Like some of them look kind of sad and creepy, but like that's also part of it. It's like if you go back to Story Short Cake, like some of these things were kind of sad and creepy when you look at the 80s. Yeah, but as you see the toys evolve and how we've like perfected them, we've grown with them, we've all grown up with them. Some like Easy Bake Oven, our licenses that others are making. Um, some we easy bake is off the charts right now. It's like Easy Bake is doing great. Um, it's actually a licensed brand. So, like, it's interesting the dynamic between license and licensors. So, like we may own the brand, but someone else manufactures the product. Okay. There are things like our Marvel action figures, where obviously Disney owns the license, we manufacture the toys that come from those great theatricals. So that's also a dynamic. So we're on calls and meetings. It is a very meeting and call culture because we have to work with so many partners. Um, so in the course of the day, we're on meetings, we're working on budgets, we're working on reviewing content creative. We have great partners that are doing a lot of social media activations for us with influencers. We're working with our Walmart Media Connect creator.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay, yeah. Do you being here get a say on the influencers, et cetera? For sure.

SPEAKER_01:

I mean, we create a brief and we're putting out the parameters of who we want to work with, those that have a high propensity to shop at Walmart, those that are value conscious, that you know have an affinity to the brand. We're working with agencies who go find those people that have the right reach and relevance for us, bring those back in, and then that's what we're spending the money against. That's what we're reviewing the creative. We're making sure that they have a great experience with our brands, that they're driving traffic to Walmart. So when we work with our WMC partners, like they're also a great partner on site. So a lot of our work is making sure everything is connected from the moment you search for a toy to the moment you actually have it delivered to your home.

SPEAKER_00:

Do you ever sit in on a foot on a focus group?

SPEAKER_01:

And for a long time talking home base. All of that for Hasbro is really managed centrally in our home office. I've been in those before, but it is fun. We get videos and clips and I would love to see that the results of like what people are saying about our products, and it's just fun to answer what it is.

SPEAKER_00:

But have you seen anything in that like last 18 months that you're like, oh my gosh, this toy or game is gonna be bananas, and it wasn't, or even the opposite. Or have you seen something that you really were like, I I don't I'm not five, so I don't really understand that. And it's just like skyrocketed. Like yes and yes.

SPEAKER_01:

So there are things that like I will candidly say, like, I'm a mom of two teenagers. Right. Some of these games and some of these items would have been really cool to work for when they were little, and but some of them have also progressed so far that I don't even understand, like, but they're selling my hot cake, so I'm working for it. Like, think about a brand like Furby and our Furblets.

SPEAKER_00:

Like, I had a Furby at some point in the world.

SPEAKER_01:

Furby's making a comeback. Furby's huge. We've got DJ Furby that you can like play music and vibe. I know we're gonna talk about Furby. We're gonna talk about Furby. So, like, that isn't something quicker when I was growing up. There is Furby, okay, Mama Furby, and now we have our Furblettes, as I like to refer to them. Yeah, so like these are these are things that aren't in my house anymore. We've aged out, so it's fun to see the innovation and to look at it very like with a biased, unbiased view. Yeah. Then I see things that are coming that I get so excited about, I can't wait for people to know is coming. And like I said, we were talking 27 innovation. Um, really cool ways to expand our brand beyond what you currently even see. Um, and so while a lot of our stuff is still kid and preschool um driven, it's fun to see how the world has gotten so chaotic that even like adults want to come back into some of these categories. So I'm excited to see how that plays out. I love that. Yes.

SPEAKER_00:

Do any of your toys cross over into any of our local nonprofits? Come on. Maybe like um an amazing or um not necessarily.

SPEAKER_01:

Um, most of those are like custom-made kind of experiences. But for what we have, like what you see more is in the different like childcare facilities or the shelters, things like that that we want to make sure are included in like educational programs, communication. Um, there's a lot of work that and research being done right now around using Play-Doh as a communication tool. So think about it in like counseling or advocate situations where a child may not be able to recreate a situation verbally. Yeah, I was just gonna say at the emotions. I actually talk about Play-Doh being kind of the next fidget spinner. Um, when you think about even in like middle school and junior highs when they're needing to do something with their hands. There's research that shows when they're staying active with their hands, their minds are able to be more creative in the future. I can see that. Right. And so think about what we're doing from like a dexterity standpoint. Um, this is yeah, there's also a fun initiative we're working on right now with an organization locally around a program through the Bentball School District where we're helping adapt certain mechanical toys for those with special needs and their dexterity. So think about toys that some kids may never get to play with because of a lack of a use of hands or like speech. Are there ways we can take our toys and adapt them so that everyone gets joys of more options for play? It's so bigger than we ever think. It is, and I those are the moments where I step back and you said it at the beginning, but like we really are bringing joy into people's lives. And so in the minutiae and the chaos of the meetings and the budgets and the spreadsheets, it's easy to lose your focus on like why is this one thing not working? And so being able to step back and say, like, but look at all the things that are working and the things that were good, and if we can even make like one family's life a little bit better, like, how cool is that? I love that.

SPEAKER_00:

And so that makes my marketing job a lot more purposeful and right exactly, like the mundane of life or Q4 for you. But then you walk into like, I'm sure you all have like a product room or a fake layout or whatever. Always everyone has their sense. And you're like, oh my gosh, I can do this for you.

SPEAKER_01:

I can do this for you. I can make this 15 minutes a little more enjoyable. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

That's kind of fun. That's kind of fun. Like, has it been a weird, like, oh my god, that was my jam back then when I was growing up? Like, Play-Doh's been around since you and I were growing up.

SPEAKER_01:

Play Doh's been around, and the smell is still the smell, and that nostalgia still. I mean, I have this game.

SPEAKER_00:

We're gonna we're gonna get into all this in part two. But I'm like, I had this game growing up, my kids had this game growing up. I can still hear the nightmare of like, boom, like it scares the bejesus out of it.

SPEAKER_01:

Are still the reason we all have like high anxiety, as you know, our Gen X upbringing around this is why I joke that I'm a recovering perfectionist, has to be this game. Somehow in constantly, I could track it back. Um, that is fun that this is still relevant.

SPEAKER_00:

Like when you go and you're like, I had this.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and like we're having games as a portfolio has been like eye-opening of like, oh, like Yahtzee is a tradition in our family. Like we used to play on like New Year's Eve, and like as a family, like my husband thinks he's like a Yahtzee professional. Um, and so like our and then all of a sudden I'm so bad at that. So it's funny because like he also really likes roulette, and so like I joke that it's like, how are you good at these games of chance? But the boy is, and somehow it works, and we all get annoyed and we all keep playing with him. So I don't know what that says about all of us as a family. Glutton's highly competitive, glutton for punishment. Um, really want to make sure dad wins and keep him happy. Yeah, but I think that's part of the fun, is like you don't even realize how many of these like fun moments are already embedded in what we do. And so when I've joined Hasbro, it was very cool to be like, oh. But so different than what you came from speak out the other night. And I was like, oh my gosh, I I didn't even I forget when you look at it, because Hasbro Games as a portfolio is not necessarily its own brand, right? Right. We're we're a br house of titles that are brands that all have these special meanings to all of us, and we can all, I promise you, come up with a story of a game or a moment or a funny, like whatever gif or something that reminded us of it. And I find these in everyday moments, and so it makes it really fun. That's fun.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I mean, it makes it easier.

SPEAKER_01:

Thanks for reminding me of my job. It's really fun.

SPEAKER_00:

I mean, right? I mean, we've all pushed um the right side of the store. We'll just say the right side of the store.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, all that other stuff.

SPEAKER_00:

We've aren't um all push all that, but like very few products literally spark joy literally every second. Yes, you know, I mean, we all need a turkey or uh some milk or some cereal, all the things, or bath towels, or makeup. But I'm like that's the beautiful thing about Walmart. There's something for everyone. Everyone, but then to like represent something that can literally produce a smile within seconds.

SPEAKER_01:

And I think it's just so important as like kids are I mean, listen, I'm my house is full of screens, like we have Wi-Fi problems all the time because they're all on it. However, when you can stop for like 10 minutes, 10 to 15 minutes, phones down for a second, and not because I'm forcing it, but because it's fun. Yes, like you can't hold a phone and check your notifications while you're playing perfection or operation. Like you gotta have that steady hand or Jenga or any of these things that like honestly, for 11, like 11 bucks of like 20 minutes, I'd promise you any parent would pay for. Absolutely. So that's what's fun about like the value and the accessibility of what we're bringing to Walmart families. Like, I I get a lot of fulfillment out of I do acknowledge the fact of like, listen, like I said, I've worked in food and bath for a long time, and like all of that is very necessary. By all means, feed your family first. Absolutely. With what is left and with the deals that are coming the next few weeks, like please, like take a moment and like find something that'll bring your family joy or bring another family joy. Um, bring families together.

SPEAKER_00:

Correct. I mean, I know it's a like individual type-ish game, but um, guess who is not? Guess who is not, Battleship is not.

SPEAKER_01:

You can look at Connect 4, we have a new one. Oh, we have a new one. Yes. We can talk about all these things, but like at the end of the day, even some of the toys, like the action figures and getting their kids using their imagination, the way in which creative play comes to life with Play-Doh, Peppa Pig has been great. Like, there's just so many things where like what you see on screen can come to life in your store. And like that is just a gift in itself.

SPEAKER_00:

That's good. So support Hasbro and the cross connect partnership with Play-Doh or with Barbie. I mean, collaboration over competition. Right. We're all in that the child, right? Let's just all love it. There is room for everyone. There's room for every list.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Stay on the good list. Stay on the nice list. Nice list, not good list. There's room for everyone on standard's nice list. That's elf. Sure. So you're gonna stick with Holiday. I'm just saying on stage.

SPEAKER_00:

You're the one smiling's my favorite. That's all I got. Okay. Okay. Yes. Thank you so much for joining us. Don't forget. Thank you to you. Thank you to you. Don't forget. Here's a good one. Speaking of collaborations. While you're enjoying your game night, stop and get those Hershey salty snacks. Everybody needs skinny pop and dolls. Obviously. You can't have game night without dots, pretzels. No. Right? Because then those are addictive too. I know. And so many flavors, cinnamon sugar. So you can go like original and then you close it out with cinnamon. Right? Exactly. So get your Hershey salty snacks at Walmart. Get all your fun games at Walmart. Keep supporting because they're giving back to the children who may not have the most the they just may not have all the means. So support your people. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Stay tuned for part two because it'll be amazing because I'm talking awesome as it already is. So stay tuned for part two. See y'all next time. Keep inspiring a culture of giving. Bye.